Printer&#39;s chase



F. C. ROUECHE PRINTERS CHASE Jan. 22, 1952 Filed June 13, 1949 Uli l'illu T1 lli Il l I'lll! l: Z 7 J Patented Jan. 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT `OFFICE PRINTERSA CHASE Floyd C. Roueche, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 13, 1949, Serial No. 98,691`

This invention relates to a printers chase. It is particularly applicable to the class of printers chase that is used for setting up type for news'- papers.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a printers chase which is of relatively light weight construction as compared to the conventional chase that has been used for many years in the newspaper publishing industry. Such conventional chase embodies an integral frame of steel, weighing about sixty-five pounds, and exassembled into a number of constituent parts, and yet which, when assembled, has all of the strength and rigidity required for holding a full page of newspaper type in rigid, accurate, assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a printers chase having improved lock-up mechanism. Another object is to provide a knock down printers chase having lock-up mechanism which cooperates with the frame sections thereof to securely lock all parts of the chase in assembled relationship with a page of type supported therein. This characteristic of the invention is important for the reason that a large amount of work goes into the setting up of a page of type the size of a newspaper page, and any accidental loosening of the frame sections of the chase would be likely to result in a complete loss of this work, requiring the type to be set all over again. It will be understood in this connection that the type is' held in the chase solely by the clamping of the type slugs between the frame sections of the chase, and the frictional engagementwith each other and with the frame sections that thereby results. Any loosening of the frame sections of the chase would therefore be most likely "to result in the entire assembly falling apart, making it necessary to start the type-setting operation over'from the beginning.

In the invention, the look-up mechanism coop--` crates with the frame sections of the chase to apply spreading pressure in two directions at right angles to each other, thereby securely locking the sections together.

' 'A further object of the invention is to provide an improved lock-up actuator having a push- 2 Claims. (Cl. 101--394) up mechanism in which the retracting function of the lock-up actuator may be dispensed with and in which the lock-up mechanism is adapted to automatically release as soon as the pressure of the actuator upon the wedge mechanism is relieved.

Other objects will become apparent in the ensuing specications and appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a printers chase assembly embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the chase;

Fig. 3 is an end view oi the chase;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the lock-up actuator taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of a wedge unit of the lock-up mechanism taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of a modied form of the wedge unit; and

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a corner of the frame.

As an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, I have shown in Figs. 1 `to 5 inclusive a printers chase comprising longitudinal and transverse frame bars 6 and 1 respectively, each constructed from a metal having a high strength-weight factor. I prefer to employ one of the vknown lightweight, high strength metals of the aluminum-magnesium alloy class, rather than the much heavier steel that is now employed in printers chases.

The frame bars 6 and 1 are provided with interlocking mortise and tenon connections including tenons 8 on the ends of the longitudinal bar B, receivable in mortises 9 on the ends of the transverse bars "I, and also including lug members I0 projecting from the tenons B and receivable in spaces II communicating with the mortises 9. Each tenori 8 and corresponding lug IIJ collectively constitutes an L-shaped hook, and each mortise 9 and space II collectively constitutes a correspondingly L-shaped recess receiving such hook.

Each L-shaped recess 9, I I is spaced from a respective end of a transverse bar 1 so as to define a head I2 which is connected to the body portion of the bar by a neck I3. The width of a head I2 is approximately half the Width of a longitudinal bar 6. The hook 8, I0 is likewise approximately half the width of a bar 6 and is disposed at one side thereof, the other side of the bar being cut away to provide a space I1 to accommodate the head I2. The space I 1 is defined at one end by a shoulder I 4 which is adapted to abut against the inner end of the lhead I2,

while the lug IU engages the inner vertical face Y of the neck I3. The lug Ill is spaced from the shoulder I4 by a notch I5 which is only slightly wider than the neck I3. Thus, in the assembled relation of the frame bars, the neck I3 is snugly received between the lug I and shoulder I4 and accommodated entirely in the notch I5. The width of the recess 9, II is only slightly greater than the width of the hook 8, I0 whereby the latteris! snugly received between a shoulder I6 constituting the end of the central body'portion of the bar l, and an inner face of the head I2,

The shoulder III is engaged securely against the head I2. The under surface of the tenon 8 is engaged againstv theupper surface of the neck I3. The lock-up mechanism comprises a bar I9 adapted to lie against the inner side oi".` one of.

the frame bars and a co-acting bar I8 adapted torengage a body of type which is indicatedat 42 inglg.. 2. The bar I9-hasin Vone'side a plurality of recesses ZI, each of whichhas one' side; con,- Ystituting a ramp 22; against-which a wedge-pin 23 carried by the bar I8, isadapted tov operate.

One of the important characteristics; of the imZen-tionY is simplicity and' inexpensivehess of construction, coupled with reliable, efficient opeiation and durability under long periods of use. In the wedge mechanism, these objects are attained by utilizing'` the wedge pins ES which may be constructed sim-plyY byc-utting lengths from a round rod of meta-lf which is preferably a metal diie'rent-'fromthat ofvthe'b'ar I3 (e. g. steel). The Wedge-pinsZS-are mounted in the bar i8 simply by drillingy sockets 24i-nthe bar i8, inserting the ,pins ZBSiIrthe-'sockets 2d,- drilling from side to side through the bar I8 a series of Vholes centered with reference to sockets 24 and extending.

through pins 23, and inserting through the holes lock-ing pins 25.V The sockets 2G- are drilled at an angle disposed at 90 degrees to the ramps 2f2= and the'endsf-of the AWedge pins 23 may thus be'fitted. tothe ramps 22- simply by cuttingl thern squarely.. Y

The wedge bar I9 is moved by an actuatorcrew Zhaving a-,smooth cylindricalshank journalled `in cd1/bearing bore 23 in a transverse frame bar. 7;

having a squared headY 29 tof receive a wrench; havingfa angeor washer 3G# providing. an end bearing abutment against a peripheral face of the frame bar l;r carrying awasher 3l, pinned thereto bya pin 32, the washer 3i providing end bearing abutment against the inner face of frame le; and having a threaded end portion 3.3 threaded into anintern-ally threaded bore in bar IS; (Fi-g. 4-)5 In prior push-pullV actuator arrangementsit is customaryy to. utilizev an actuator screw ythreaded throughthe transverse frame bar Y and having a heady rotatably engaged in an open Vto one side-ofthe axisof its. socket 2da, soY that the pin 23a may, whenthe chase is being-locked up, bear against-theV near sidevof the'socket 24a as indicated iii-Fig.4 6,-..thereby to resist the turning moment in the..direction vindicated by arrow 36, imparted to it by ramp 22 of bar I9, as the bar I9 is moved in the lock-up direction indicated by arrow 31. This imparts to the pin 23a the function'of a wedge which, cooperating with ramp 22 in the same manner as the pin 23 of Figs. 1 and 5, forces the bars I8 and I9 apart to lock up the chase.

Instead of the push-pull actuator screw of Figs. 1-5, this form of the invention utilizes a simple screwl Z'Ia'whi'ch. is threaded through frame bar 'ia and hasits inner end in abutting-bearing engagement against the end of Wedge bar I9.

Upon backing off the screw 21a, the lateral pressure of the type against ramp bar I9, indicated by arrow 38, will, as the result of the pivotal connection'of wedge pins 23a to wedge carrying bar I8, cause barv I9 to shift generally in a direction of 'circumferential movement or the points of* bearing contact of the ends of wedge pins 23a against ramps 22 (a direction opposite to that indicated by arrow 36.).. This direction of shifting movement of bar I9 is ind-icatedjby arrow. 39. Suchr shifting movement will automatically, unlock thewedging mechanism without requiringV thestriking of. a blow against an end ofv one,A of the' wedging bars (-a common Vprocedure inV conventional chases) or the. application of retractor orceto one. of thewedging bars as inthe operation of the. form of the invention shown. in

Figs. 1-5.

In order that the unlocking may be smooth and positive, the corners of wedge pins 23u, nearest the. bottoms of recesses 2l, are relieved as Yby ohamf'ering circumferentially with referenceto pivots '35. The chamfered corners vof pins 23a will thus have rolling. contact with ramps k22 at uniform radius so that there will Ibe no resistance tothe unlockingmovement of bar IE5 as described above.

A pair Vofclarnp screws 40 are threaded through Y bar I9 is completely retracted to a point adjacent Y the. inner side of the frame bar l, and the bar I8 is shifted to av position adjacent the bar I9 with the wedge pins 2.3 received tothe maximum extent; in the. recesses 2 I.

Type l42.is then arranged in thespace within the. chase, until the full body of .type has been assembled.A The, pressure bar 4I. isi then laid between, the clamp screws, and the. adjacent end of the body of type 42, and the clamp Yscrews Y 4,31 are advanced-until the bar VM makesy light engagement. With-the body of type. The-actuator screw2l isthen advanced, causing the ramps 22 to rise. onfthe ends of .wedge Vpins '.3V and forcing the .bar I9 inwardlyy against the sideof the body of .type 42. The screws I9 and 21 are then alternately tightened until the desiredramount oipressure .is applied to the body. of type in both directions.

rIhe compressive forces setup intheV body. of type l2A react against the-frame-bars B and? to establish pressure between the inner faces Il of the heads YI2 andV the inner faces 43- ofthe tenons t; andV between thev inner faces clfoA the lugs I@ (Fig. 5) and the inner Vside-faces of the neck is. lirietional- .engagement is establishedbetween these facesto an` extent whichsecurely locks the frame bars together at V the cornersof the chase, makingit possible to 'transport` the loadedchase from the make-up table to the machine where a negative impression of the type is produced in a mat or matrix of papier mache into which the melted lead is poured to form one-half of a print ing roll.

After the mat or matrix has been produced, the loaded chase may be returned to the place where the type slugs are to be removed from the chase and remelted for use in the slug-making machine. screws 27 and 40 until the chase can be bodily lifted from the body of type or, if desired, removed therefrom piecemeal. Once the pressure between the joints has been removed, the bars 6 may be readily lifted away from engagement with the bars 1. On the other hand, if desired, the empty chase may be lifted bodily by grasping one of the bars 'I and tilting it up to a position in whichy it hangs suspended from said bars 'Lfand it may be carried in this manner back to the make-up table and placed in position to receive another body of type. When not in use, it is disassembled and the parts thereof may be neatly stacked in a compact bundle.

The use of magnesium-aluminum alloy has proven to be very satisfactory. The alloy has a strength factor comparable to that of steel, while the weight is considerably less. The alloy may be easily and accurately machined to the desired closeness of t between the inner connecting parts. It is extremely durable.

Because of its knock-down characteristics, if one of the frame bars becomes battered beyond the point of usefulness, it may be replaced vby la new bar without necessitating the replacement of the entire chase. This is a distinct advantage, since printers chases are often roughly handled, and they are expensive.

I claim:

1. In a knock-down printers chase: a frame including longitudinal bars and transverse bars; a pair of wedging bars one of which is provided with a series of recesses each having an inclined bottom wall constituting a wedging ramp and having parallel side walls, the other having a plurality of sockets disposed with their axes at right angles to said ramp; a plurality of wedge pins mounted in said sockets, extending into respective recesses, confined between said parallel walls thereof, and having bearing ends slidably engaging said ramps; and actuator means for shifting said wedgin-g bars relatively longitudinally whereby to effect wedging action between said bearing ends and said ramps, resulting in spreading movement of said wedging bars, each pin being pivoted to a respective wedging bar at a point near the bottom of its respective socket, having an opposite end slidably engaging a respective wedging ramp, and adapted to engage one side of its socket for limiting its pivotal movement in the direction in which it tends to swing when being forced against said respective wedging ramp to develop spreading action between'the wedging bars, said limiting action disposing said pins in wedging position in which This is accomplished by backing off the their longitudinal axes are substantially normal to their respective wedging ramps, said sockets being of larger diameter than said wedge pins whereby the latter in said wedging positions are spaced from the opposite sides of said sockets to provide for lost motion return pivotal movement of the wedging pins away from said wedging positions in response to relative retracting movement of the wedging bars, whereby to readily relax wedging pressure between said wedging pins and ramps and thereby facilitate unlocking of the chase.

2. In a knock-down printers chase: a frame including longitudinal bars and transverse bars; a pair of wedging bars one of which is provided with a series of recesses each having an inclined bottom wall constituting a wedging ramp and havingl parallel side walls, the other having a plurality of sockets disposed with their axes at right angles to said ramp; a plurality of wedge pins mounted in said sockets, extending into respective recesses, conned between said parallel walls thereof, and having bearing ends slidably engaging said ramps; and actuator means for shifting said wedging bars relatively longitudinally whereby to effect wedging action between said bearing ends and said ramps, resulting in spreading movement of said wedging bars, each pin being pivoted to a respective wedging bar at a point near the bottom of its respective socket, having an opposite end slidably engaging a respective wedging ramp, and adapted to engage one side of its socket for limiting its pivotal move'- ment in the direction in which it tends to swing when being forced against said respective Wedging ramp to develop spreading action between the wedging bars, the bearing ends of each pin being inclined at an acute angle to the axis of wedging pressure between the pin pivot and the point of contact of said bearing end with the respective ramp, with said acute angle disposed on that side of said axis of pressure toward which the pivotal movement is limited as aforesaid, whereby, upon reverse actuation of said actuator means, said wedging bars will automatically undertake relatively longitudinal shifting movement in the direction to relax the wedging pressure acting therebetween.

FLOYD C. ROUECHIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 138,967 Warren Mayl 13, 1873 603,216 Tunnah Apr.. 26, 1898 1,903,507 Frolander Apr.` 11, 1933 1,985,551 Reardon Dec.. 25, 1934 OTHER REFERENCES Soc. Anon. Des. Estab. Van. 8; Venni.` 584,783, Feb. 13, 1925. 

